The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-19
BILL VETOED.
President vetoes the Dependent
Pension Bill.
he Is Not willing to Approve Bill Pre-.
senting the Objections He Secs In
This One, and Therefore
vetoes II.

senting the Objections Ho Secs In
This One, and Therefore
vetoes IL.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The President
late yesterday afternoon put an end to oil
doubt and speculation about his attitude on
the Dependent Pension bill by sending to
the House q message vetoing the bill. The
President, in his veto message, observes at
the outset that this Is the first general bill
that has been sanctioned by Congress since
the close Of the late civil war, permitting
pensions to soldiers and sailors who served
in that war upon the ground Of service and
present disability Alone and in the absence
OF any injuries received by the casualties
or incidents Of such service.
The President then goes on to review the
pension legislation. Almost constant PEN
sion legislation since the close of the war,
which has resulted in placing upon the pen
sion rolls, on the 1st of last July, 385, ,763
pensioners, of all classes-3O5, ,6O5 Of whom
were survivors Of the war Of the Rebellion,
sand their widows and dependents, and for
whom 5000 600 have been appropriated
for the current year, and for whom $685.
6A,Sll have been expended from 1861 to
July 1, 1888. While annually paying out
such vast sum for pensions already
granted, 1t is now proposed, the President
says, by the bill to award service pension
to the soldiers of all wars in which the
United States has been engaged, including,
Of course, the war of the Rebellion, and to
pay those entitled to the benefits Of the act
the sum Of twelve dollars per month. So
far as 1t relates to the soldiers Of the late
civil war the bounty it affords them is given
thirteen years earlier than it has been furn-
tay fr< <1x<,e, 40 ekt.a 4
before large number Of its beneficiaries
have advanced in age beyond the strength
and vigor Of the prime Of life.
1t exacts only military or naval service
OF three months, without any requirements
Of actual engagement with an enemy in
battle, and without subjection to any Of
the actual dangers Of war.
The pensions 1t awards is allowed to en-
listed men who have not suffered the least
injury, disability, loss or damage Of any
kind incurred in, or in any degree referable
to their military service including those
who never reached the front at all, and
those discharged from rendezvouses at the
close Of the war, If discharged three months
after enlistment Under the last call of the
President for troops in December, 1884,
11,303 men were furnished who were thus
discharged. Criticizing the section Of the
bill allowing this pension, the language Of
which seems to the President so uncertain
and liable to such conflicting constructions
and to be subject to such unjust and mis-
chievous application as to alone furnish
sufficient ground for disappearing it, the
President says: Persons seeking to OBJ
tain the pension provided by this section
must be now or hereafter,
biiity. M ' - pA' '''A' D''"
O. Such disability must not be the result
Of their own vicious habits or gross care
lessness.
g. Such disability must be such as to in
capacitate them from the performance of
labor in such degree as to render them un-
able to earn support.
f. They must be dependent upon their
daily labor for support.
g. Upon proof Of these conditions they
shall be placed on the list Of invalid pen
sioners Of the United States and be en-
titled to receive for such total inability to
procure their subsistence by daily labor,
twelve dollars per month.
Passing on to consideration OF their
conditions, the President says: sit will be
observed that there is no limitation or def
milton Of the incapacitating injury or all
ment itself. 1t need only be such a degree
Of disability from any cause as renders the
claimant unable to earn support by labor
toned, as one which cannot be earned, is O
complete and entire support with no dimi-
milton on account Of the last impairment Of
physical or mental condition. II it had been
intended to embrace only those who by
diseases or injury were totally unable to
labor, it would have been very easy to ex-
press that idea instead OF recognizing as is
done, degree Of such inability"
And then he asks: What is support
Who is to determine whether q man earns
it or has it, or has it nota Is the govern
ment to enter the homes Of claimants for
pensions and after an examination Of their
surroundings and circumstances settle
those questions?
Shall the government say to one man that
his manner Of subsistence by his earnings
is support, and to another that the things
his earnings furnish are not o support?
Any attempt, however honest, to administer
this law in such manner, would neces-
sariiy produce more unfairness and unjust
discrimination and give more scope for
partisan partiality, and would result in
more perversion Of the governments be-
nevolent intentions than the execution OF
any statute ought to permit.
If in the effort to carry out the proposed
law the degree Of disability as related to
earnings be considered for the purpose OF
showing, il in any way it curtails the sup
port which the applicant, if entirely sound,
would earn and to which he Is entitled, we
enter the broad field long occupied by the
Pension Bureau, and we recognize as the
only difference between the proposed legis-
lation and previous laws passed for the
surviving soldiers Of the civil war, the in
currence in one case Of disabilities in mill
tary service, and in the other disabilities ex-
isting, but in no way connected with or re-
sulting from such service. It must be borne
in mind that In no case is there any grading
OF this proposed pension. Underline opera
tion Of the rule first suggested, il there is a
lack Of any degree, great or small, of the
ability to earn such support as the gov
ernment determines the claimant should
have, and by the application of the rule
secondly suggested, If there is o reduction
in any degree Of the support which he might
earn il sound, he is entitled to pension OF
twelve dollars.
In the latter case, and under the proviso
Of the proposed BILL permitting persons
now receiving pensions to be admitted to
the benefits OF the act, I do not sec how
those now on the pension role for disabili-
ties incurred in the service and which di-
minish their earning capacity can be denied
the pension provided in this bill.
Another condition required Of claimants
under this act is that they shall be depend
ent upon their daily labor for support. Un-
der the provisions Of this section any sol
dier, the President thinks, whose faculties
Of mind and body have become impaired by
oootdork Itaaaaa N no irrao i,ya ~ h;c